Foldable lap desk

ABSTRACT

A horizontally elongated substantially planar top panel and a pair of upstanding support panels extending transversely of the opposite end portions of the top panel, dependingly supported therethrough and spaced inwardly from the opposite end edges of the top panel. The upper marginal edge portions of the support panels are hingedly supported from the top panel for swinging movement of the support panels between extended positions disposed generally normal to the top panel and collapsed positions with the support panels swung inwardly beneath and closely underlying the undersurface of the top panel.

11mm States Patent Mci arlane [451 Mar. 28, 1972 [54] 1F OLDABLE LAP DESK [72] Inventor: Earl .11. McFarlane, P.O. Box 653, Wilson,

[22] Filed: Mar. 25, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 22,449

[52] US. Cl ..248/444, 248/464 [51 1 int. Cl. ..A47b 97/08 [58] Field of Search ..248/444, 464; 108/43, 132; 224/46 R, 46 T [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,054,098 9/1936 Rich ..l08/132 X 1,138,156 5/1915 Stroud... ..108/132X 581,589 4/1897 Houghton ..l08/l32 Primary Examiner-William H. Schultz AttorneyClarence A. OBrien and Harvey B. Jacobson [5 7] ABSTRACT A horizontally elongated substantially planar top panel and a pair of upstanding support panels extending transversely of the opposite end portions of the top panel, dependingly supported therethrough and spaced inwardly from the opposite end edges of the top panel. The upper marginal edge portions of the support panels are hingedly supported from the top panel for swinging movement of the support panels between extended positions disposed generally normal to the top panel and collapsed positions with the support panels swung inwardly beneath and closely underlying the undersurface of the top panel.

3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDMme I972 Ear/ J. McFar/cme WWI/way 19% FOLDABLE LAP DESK The lap desk of the instant invention has been designed to provide a generally horizontal support surface in front of the waist or lower stomach portion of a person seated or lying in bed as well as a person seated on a seat defining structure such as a chair or couch. The desk includes a top panel defining the desired support surface and a pair of depending legs or support panels for embracingly receiving the upper leg portions of a person therebetween when that person is seated in a chair or upon a bed. The legs or support panels are hingedly supported from the top panel for ready swinging movement into collapsed positions closely underlying the undersurface of the top panel ofthe desk.

The main object of this invention is to provide a lap desk which may be utilized by persons seated in a chair or other seat structure as well as seated or lying on a bed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a lap desk in accordance with the immediately preceding object and constructed in a manner whereby it may be readily folded into a compact condition or state for storing.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a foldable lap desk that may be readily erected, handled when erected and stored in a compact condition.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a foldable lap desk which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively troublefree in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lap desk of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 22 ofFlG. l; and

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the lap desk with the side panels or legs thereofin folded positions.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral generally designates the lap desk of the instant invention which includes a generally planar horizontally elongated top panel 12 and a pair of depending opposite end panels 14 and 16. The upper marginal edge portions of the end panels 14 and 16 have central recesses 18 formed therein and are secured to the undersurface of the top panel 12 by means of pairs of hinge assemblies 20. The hinge assemblies 20 swingably support the end panels 14 and 16 from the opposite ends of the top panel 12 for swinging movement of the end panels or legs 14 and 16 between the operative depending positions thereof illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings and the inoperative collapsed positions thereof illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings in which the end panels 14 and 16 closely underlie the undersurface 22 of the top panel 12.

It will be noted from FIG. 3 of the drawings that the end panels 14 and 16 are spaced fromthe corresponding opposite end edges 24 and 26, respectively, of the top panel 12 and therefore that the opposite end marginal portions of the top panel 12 define flange portions projecting outwardly of the legs 14 and 16 which may be grasped by the hands of the user in lifting the lap desk 10. Further, the recesses 18 are positioned intermediate the front and rear edges of the end panels 14 and 16 and define openings through which the fingertips of the hands of a person gripping the opposite end marginal edge portions of the top panel 12 may extend.

As will be further noted form FIG. 3 of the drawings the free edge portion of the end panel 16 is lapped under the free edge portion of the end panel 14 when the end panels 14 and 16 are disposed in their collapsed positions closely underlying the undersurface 22 of the top panel 12. Further, the end panel 16 is provided with an aperture 28 in which a hook 30 carried by one end of a chain section 32 is removably engageable. The end of the chain section 32 remote from the hook 30 is secured to the undersurface 22 of the top panel 12 as at 34 and it may therefore be seen that the chain section 32 and hook 30 may be utilized to retain both of the end panels or legs 14 and 16 in their collapsed positions.

When the legs 14 and 16 of the table 10 are extended as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and the lower marginal edge portions of the legs 14 and 16 are disposed on a generally horizontal surface, the top panel 12 is forwardly and upwardly inclined whereby printed material thereon may be readily viewed by the user of the table 10. In addition, the rear longitudinal edge portion of the top panel 12 may be provided with an upstanding flange or abutment extending along the rear marginal edge portion of the top panel 12 and defining a shelf upon which printed material lying on the upper surface of the top panel 12 may rest.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A lap desk comprising a generally horizontally disposed elongated and planar top panel and a pair of generally parallel upstanding support panels extending transversely of and depending from the underside of said top panel with said support panel spaced at least slightly from the end edges of said top panel and disposed generally normal to the latter, means supporting the upper marginal edge portions of said support panels from the underside of said top panel for manual shifting of the support panels to collapsed position closely underlying and generally paralleling the opposite end portions of the underside of said top panel, the upper marginal edges of said support panels including upwardly opening recesses intermediate their opposite ends opening upwardly toward and closed at their upper extremities by the underside of said top panel, said recesses defining openings through which the fingertips of the hands of a person gripping the opposite end marginal portions of the top panel may extend.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means supporting the upper marginal edge portions of said support panels from the underside of said top panel comprise pairs of hinge assemblies securing the support panels to the corresponding ends of the top panel for swinging movement of the support panels about generally parallel axes extending transversely of said top panel and along the upper edge portions of said support panels, each of said recesses being formed between the corresponding pair of hinge assemblies.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the lower marginal edge portions of said support panels generally parallel each other and are disposed in the same plane, said top panel including front and rear longitudinal edge portions, said top panel being forwardly and upwardly inclined when the lower marginal edge portions of said support panels are disposed in a horizontal plane. 

1. A lap desk comprising a generally horizontally disposed elongated and planar top panel and a pair of generally parallel upstanding support panels extending transversely of and depending from the underside of said top panel with said support panel spaced at least slightly from the end edges of said top panel and disposed generally normal to the latter, means supporting the upper marginal edge portions of said support panels from the underside of said top panel for manual shifting of the support panels to collapsed position closely underlying and generally paralleling the opposite end portions of the underside of said top panel, the upper marginal edges of said support panels including upwardly opening recesses intermediate their opposite ends opening upwardly toward and closed at their upper extremities by the underside of said top panel, said recesses defining openings through which the fingertips of the hands of a person gripping the opposite end marginal portions of the top panel may extend.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means supporting the upper marginal edge portions of said support panels from the underside of said top panel comprise pairs of hinge assemblies securing the support panels to the corresponding ends of the top panel for swinging movement of the support panels about generally parallel axes extending Transversely of said top panel and along the upper edge portions of said support panels, each of said recesses being formed between the corresponding pair of hinge assemblies.
 3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the lower marginal edge portions of said support panels generally parallel each other and are disposed in the same plane, said top panel including front and rear longitudinal edge portions, said top panel being forwardly and upwardly inclined when the lower marginal edge portions of said support panels are disposed in a horizontal plane. 